As a Julia Stiles fan, I couldn't resist seeing her in an early "bad girl" role. And she is awfully good being bad. Her mood swings and fits of rage, occasional sweetness - and lust - are amazing for an 18 year-old - I doubt anyone else could have brought this part off at that age. She does the job of a badly disturbed young woman very well indeed. Kudos to Julia. Yes, the plot is close to "Electra" and uses many Hitchcockian type shots - but the film is far too episodic to be a Hitchcock rip-off. And what serious murder mystery does NOT use Hitchock's techniques these days? Remember Brian de Palma? He made a career out of it. Now, the plot has been discussed endlessly here, so, in a nutshell, the film concerns itself with a very dysfunctional family living in a ghastly suburban "gated" community near Los Angeles, cut off from the real world. After the brutal death of her mother, Stiles takes over the family from her weak-kneed daddy - and also his bed. Although there is no overt nudity, adultery plays its part, as does incest. A second murder (Stiles), as well as a detective who gets it ALL wrong help confuse us as to the real question: Who committed the murder of the mother? Well, if you don't want to know stop reading - but so many people have gotten it wrong, I felt I must explain. Everything points to Stiles as the killer - she hates her mother, and so has motive - and she also does a fine job of being . . . well . . . wicked. She commits two violent acts and lusting for her father adds to her seeming guilt. But there are a few clues you should look for here: Her mother was having an affair with a golf freak neighbor, an affair that she ends by telling him that she won't run off with him (and then has sex with him anyway - go figure), then refuses to answer his phone calls (we know they are his as he leaves no message on the machine, not wanting daddy to hear them). When the break-in leading to Mom's demise occurs, it is a golf ball that breaks the window allowing entry. Second, when Stiles goes out in the rain, and down in the basement to find her suitcase, the look of surprise on her face at opening it is a giveaway. We guess what's in the suitcase - she does not know. When her sister discovers the suitcase and what is inside she finds a Greek Drama Mask - with a frown (and a lot of blood). This has been missing and is the murder weapon. The sister looks very horrified - but it gives her ideas. As to the cops, the detective - Michael Parks - in a hard-to-hear scene, has the sense to ask the school principal about Stiles' attendance record, which apparently is OK, as we never hear of it again - giving Stiles an alibi. When Stiles is murdered it is with another Greek Mask - this time with a smile - so there are two murder weapons - the second "smile" mask is on the stand next to where the "frown" mask was, and easily available. BUT NO GOLF BALL IS PRESENT. Obviously the little sister has killed Stiles. But did Stiles kill her Mom? No. Mom was killed by her jilted lover, who broke in by tossing a golf ball through a window, then, grabbing the nearest heavy object (the mask) he bashes her brains in. The little sister is a copy-cat killer, and Stiles suffers her needless "revenge." The plot twists in this movie are a bit disturbing and this is not a film for kiddies. But for a low budget independent flick, it does a very good job of taking us for an eerie, violent, sometimes sexual, but always mysterious ride.
